Bearing



Patented Apr. 17, 1945 v S PATENT OFFICE BEARING Carel T. Torresen, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to North American Aviation, Inc., Inglewood, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application December 24,1940, Serial No. 371,489

11 Claims.

The. present invention relates to bearings and more particularly to improvements in composite bearings in which the lighter anti-friction eley ments are supplemented or replacedV upon the application of higher loads.

In bearing installations it is frequently necessary to provide for a wide range ofv magnitudes of radial loads, and in which the load requirements of the anti-friction bearing under normal rotating conditions is relatively light but are so greatly exceeded by intermittent loads due to impacts or other shocks as to cause failure and require replacement of the anti-friction elements. Such conditions are met with in the hinge pins and bearings of the landing gears of aircraft wherein the impacts and shocks due to landing are farl in excess of the normal running or rotational loads.

The present invention provides a satisfactory solution to problems produced by these and similar conditions and comprises essentially a combination unitary bearing consisting of flexible roller elements, for the normal light duty, which floatingly carry a solid bushing or plain bearing element which comes intoyplay upon the application of forces of .a predetermined magnitude. A numberof dual bearing and safety arrangements have heretofore been proposed for purposes of assisting or preventing damagev to ,antifriction elements or the journalled parts, but the y composite bearing of the present invention preelement when subjected to stresses in excess of those of a predetermined magnitude. It is also an object to provide'an arrangement in which the bearing can be kept in service for longerperiods without the necessity fof frequent `inspection and replacement. It is' a further object to provide a unitary bearing comprised of ant/ifriction and plain bearing elements which have iixed predetermined characteristics which are not disturbed or put out of adjustment. It is alsowo an object to provide such a unitary bearing which is readily installed or replaced as a simple, compact and light unit and which is also economically produced. y

Another object is the provision of such a bearquiet in operation for the reason that continual contact is maintained between both the fixed and rotating member. This prevents clearance ratties', radio s'tatic and interferences which usually result from contact being made and broken between the two relatively moving bearing parts.

Other objects and advantages may occur to those skilled in the art after a reading of this specification and the attached drawing forming a parthereof, and are all intended to come within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In the drawing:`

Fig. l shows a front elevation of the upper portion of a retractable landing gear in which my improved bearing has been incorporated;

Fig. 2 shows a detailed sectional viewof the parts of the present bearing;

Fig. 3 shows a portion of the improved ing under normal rotational load;

Fig. 4 shows the. same portion of the bearing under impact load; and

Y Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross section of the bearbearlines 5--15 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown the upv per portion of a retractable landing gear coining for aircraft landing gears; which is unusually prising a main shock absorbing strut 6 provided with a supporting fitting 1 and a locking device 8 for the prevention of its retraction during operation This gure'is taken looking rearwardly of the aircraft andv for the sake of clarity half of the fairing Il has been shown removed. 'Ihe main oleo strut 8 is adapted to be rotated for retraction about the axis A--A of the transverse trunnion member 9, the ends of which are braced from the fitting 1 by the struts l0, being suitably fixedy thereto by the attachment bolts l2. The outer ends of the trunnion or swivel m'ember are pivotally journalled by means of the hinge pin bearing assemblies I4 at the lower extremities of the braces l5 and I6. 'I'he latter are in turn fixedly mounted at their upper extremities by the attachment bolts and fittings l1 and I 8 respectively, to the structural framework vof the l aircraft.

' The arrangement just described is shown by way of example only as being typical of a structure tov which the improved bearing of this invention is applicable. In the retractable landing gear shown the strut 6 is preferably provided with a wheel or /other ground engaging member' at its lower or piston portion, and is further provided with oleo' or other shock absorbing means to'resiliently oppose telescoping of the upper and lower members in a manner well known in the N opening 2| .is suitably threaded at time permitting telescopic movement. The upper I landing gear`parts, as shown in Fig. 1, are in the landing or operating position and in order to be retracted the locking pin 8 is withdrawn from the apertured fitting I3 at the top of the strut 6 and the upper portion rotated forwardly and downwardly by suitable actuating means about the transverse horizontal axis A-A. In the fully retracted position the strut 6 would lie substantially horizontally in which the fairing I I closes the opening in the bottom of the nacelle or body B. v

Referring now to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the trunnion 9 is suitably bored to different or stepped diameters at 20 and 2| each concentrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis A-A of the swivel. The inner portion of the bored to receive a similarly threaded portion of the hinge pin or stub axle 23. The stub shaft 23 is further provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 23-24 and an inner portion of reduced diameter 25 which carries on its inner end the aforementioned threads 22. The hinge pin 23 is further provided at its outer end with an integral hexagonal head or nut 26 by which the lpin is threadedly engaged with the swivel' member 9, or released: therefrom. The head portion 26 also serves as a retainer for the ring washer 21 and the comibsite bearing 28. The bearing unit 29 is preferably composed of a solid annular bushing 29, of a thickness which is slightly less in dimension than that of the annular space between the cylindrical outer portion 24 of the stu-'b shaft 23 and the inside diameter |9 of the journal fitting 30. 'I'his provides a predetermined clearance on Iboth sides of the bushing under normal rotative loads to permit an easy running fit. The solid bushing 29 is provided at its outer edges 'with a plurality of rectangular openings 3I extending both; longitudinally and radially through its thickness, and in which are `carried the exi'ble helix roller bearing units 32. The flexible roller units 32 are pivotally mounted centrally within the rectangular openings 3| and also `centrally with respect to the thickness of the solid bushing 29 by means of mounting pins 33 screwed or fastened to the bushing. An annular retaining end ring 34, 'which is pf substantially the same width radially as the\thickness of the solid bushing 29 at each end of the composite bearing serves to retain the roller elements in operating position in their openings. 'I'he flexible roller units 32 are preferably equallyA spaced in circumferential disposition at each end of the solid bushing 28 such that the overall length of the bushing is substantiallv ecuivalent to the width of the 'bearing surface I9 in the fitting 30 and providing operating clearance space at the outer end for the washer 21.

The inner portion of the enlarged diameter 23 of the stub shaft is also the same diameter as portion 24 such that it makes a close fit with the inside diameter of the fbored opening 20 in the enlarged end portion of the trunnion 9. The length of the opening 20 in the housing of the trunnion 9 is also such that the shoulder between the shaft portions 24 and 25 is spaced outwardly from the inner end of the bore 20, permitting the screwed end 22 to be made up tightly. Additional means for locking the shaft to the trunnion may be provided if desired.

In operation the normal partial rotation of the landing gear assembly, comprising the oleo strut 6, trunnion 9 and the braces I9, during retraction and extension is such that the relatively light bearing loads are taken up by the flexible roller units 32 making rolling contact both with the stub shaft 23 and the Ibore I9 in the hub 30, which serve as the outer and inner bearing races respectively. The solid bushing 29, in which these roller units are pivotally mounted is free to rotate both with respect to the shaft 23 and the hub 30, to 'be spaced equally from both of these elements while being carried in a floating manner. During the periods of these normal rotational loads the vroller units 32 are adequate to carry the weight of the landing gear and other forces exerted upon it Whilel the aircraft is not in contact with the lground and as the landing gear may be rotated about the axis A-A for either extension or retraction. At the same time the solid bushing or plain bearing 29 serves to interconnect and maintain the space relationship of the roller elements but does not come into contact with either the shaft portion 24 or the housing surface I9. f

Assuming now that the landing gear is locked in the extended position, as shown in Figure 1, and the airplane to which it is attached makes a landing, the vertical impact is transmitted upwardly in the direction of the axis of the strut 6 and being transmitted to the-portion 23 ofthe hinge pin as it bears against the internal bore 20 transmits a like vertical reaction to the surface I9 of the fixed frame fitting 30. Prior to the occurrence of this impact the relationship of the rollers and the bushing with respect to the shaft and its housing is shown in cross section in Figures 3 and 5. As the impact is transmitted, however, from the shaft portion 24 through the composite bearing 28 to the fitting 30 the rollers at the top of the composite bearing are depressed and deformed as shown in Figure 4 such that the load is transmitted'directly from the shaft 23 b'y the adjacent segments of the solid bushing 29 and its portion intermediate the rollers to the fitting 30. When such impacts occur there is no relative rotative movement between the composite bearing and the surfaces serving as its races, all of the movement lbeing taken up along the vertical transverse plane inthe direction of the impact force. The several flexible helical rollers 32 which happen to lbe in the upper region of the composite bearing resiliently oppose the vertical force which brings the shaft 23 and the housing together and upon dissipation of this force restores the composite bearing to its normal position substantially centrally disposed between its inner and outer races. The load characteristics of the flexible roller units are preferably such that they maintain the solid bushing 29 spaced from both races while no loads other than the Weight of the landing gear are required to be transmitted from the trunnion I9 to the fixed fitting 30.

The improved composite bearing is adapted for use in other portions of the landing gear or in other than landing gear structures and the benefits of this invention may be derived from other arrangements of its component parts to suit specific installation requirements. For example, the rollers 32 may be located within openings intermediate of the width of the solid bushing instead of at the ends as shown in the modificaaavaseo tion illustrated and if desired additional solid =bushingsmay be provided in the form of inner and outer races fixed tothe shaft and the housing respectively. In either case it will be noted that the present structure providesa substantially frictionless arrangement while there is relative rotation between the' landing gear trunnion and the fixed journal fitting 30, and relatively high load capacity while the landing gear' is fixed with respect to the aircraft and taxiing or landing loads are applied to it. Other modifications of the `present invention which may occur to one skilled in the art after a reading of the foregoing` specifi-cation and drawing, both as to general arrangement and detailed design, are all intended to fall within the scope and spirit of this invention as more clearly, defined in thevappended claimsl I claim:

1. In bearingconstruction, a rotatable member, a fixed member, a bearing assembly interposed between said members, said bearing comprising flexible roller and solid bushing means tion of said flexible roller initiated by non-rotative rloads in excess of said rotative loads.

6. In bearing construction, a relatively rotatable member, a relatively fixed member, co-a-xially disposed with respect to said first member, a unitary bushing assembly interposed within the annular space between said members, said bearing comprising a solid annular bushing element adapted to transmit excessive radial loads between said members in the non-rotative condition, the said bushing having a circumferentially uninterrupted central annular portion for said load transmission, said bushing being provided with radial and longitudinally extending openings circumferentially spaced at its end portions, flexible roller elementsy pivotally mounted upon said bushing for free rotation within said openings, said rollers being normally of greater diamwhereby resilient rolling Contact is provided for normal rotativeloads and fixed 'contact is provided for non-rotative loads in excessof `said rotative loads, the said roller means being pivotally attached to and normally of greater dimension radially than said solid bushing member.

2. In bearing construction for a shaft and-its housing subject to light rotative loads and heavier non-rotative loads, a unitary bearing disposed intermediate said shaft and housing com-Y prising flexible roller units adapted for the joui'- nalling of said rotative loads and a solid bushing unit adapted for the transmission ofy saidA nonrotative loads between said shaft and housing.

fthe said roller units being pivotally mounted mal rotative load condition and deflected heavierl upon said bushing unit such that their bearing surfaces clear said bushing unit in both its nornon-rotative load condition. l

3. In bearing construction, av rotatable meme ber, a fixed member concentrically disposed with respect to said first member and a unitary annular bearing disposed between said members, said bearing comprising a solid annular bushing portion and flexible roller portions pivotally mounted upon said bushing portion whereby light rotative loads are journalled between said members upon said flexible rollers and radial loads in excess of said rotative loads are transmitted between said members by said annular bushing portion.

4. In bearing construction, a relatively rotat- I able member, a relatively fixed member co-axialyly disposed with respect to said first member, a

bearing device interposed between'said members comprising an annular bushing adapted to transmit non-rotative loads between said members and flexible roller elements pivotally mounted at the ends of said bushing adapted to provide resilient rolling contact for normal rotative loads.

eter than the radial thickness of said solid bush-Y light. rotative loads and relatively heavy nonl rotative loads, a unitary bearing assembly comprising a solid annular bushing of lesser thick-` ness radially than the annular space between the adjacent bearing elements, said bushing having a circumferentially uninterrupted central portion and having its ends provided with radially being normally of diameter greater than the ra- 40 dial thickness of said bushing whereby'- in the an annular element normally concentrically and high radial, loads and lighter Irotational loads,

comprising a relatively rotatable member, a rela lightly loaded rotativecondition said rollers contact the adjacent bearing elements and the bushing 'is freely rotatable in untouching relationship with said adjacent bearing elements, and in thel heavily loaded non-rotative condition yof said bearingcertain of said rollers along the path of said heavier load are resiliently deflected, permitting the solid bushing to come into contact with the adjacent bearing elements for the transmission of said heavier load.

8. In a bearing construction subjected intermittently to relatively` light rotative loads during normal loperation and to relatively heavier radial loads lunder higher impacts, the said bearing including a bored element, a shaft element,

intermediately disposed with respect to said bored and shaft elements, roller elements rotatably carried by said annular element adapted to carry said light rotative loads andto position said annular element out of bearing contact with said tively lfixed member co-axially disposed with respect to said rotatable member, a plain annular element interposed between said rotatable and fixed elements adapted to transmit said radial loads directly between said'rotatable andflxed members and flexible roller units rotatably carried by said annular element adapted to provide an anti-friction bearing 'when said radial loads do not exceed a predetermined magnitude.

10. In a bearing construction for a retractable landing gear including a. relatively movable member having a ground engaging element associated o therewith, a relatively xed member and means aavaeoo ported by said roller element, said bushing element adapted for the radial transmission of landing forces between said movable and xed member bearing portions upon defamation of said flexible roller elements.

11. A bearing construction for a retractable landing gear for aircraft comprising a iixed supporting structure and a relatively movable landing member pivotally supported from said structure, said bearing construction including a plain bushing element rotatably retained between 0pposed portions of said supporting structure and said movable member adapted to transmit landing forces therebetween, and exible roller units carried by said bushing elements adapted to permit anti-friction rotative movement under lesser radial forces during retraction and extension of said movable landing member.

CAREL T. TORRESEN. 

